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I'm considering getting my childhood dream car, porsche 928, and I've been seeing a lot of pictures of cars for sale. What I noticed is that it appears the engine block is plated with chrome. I'm not exactly sure what its plated with, but there is something there.
What does that indicate? To me it indicates lack of care, vibrating engine block, inadequate maintenance. But I'm a novice to this sort of thing. Is this a red flag to stay away from?
The only coating on the engine block is that spray crap called cosmoline, or a coating of oil. The shiny look you see is what it's supposed to look like.
I'm considering getting my childhood dream car, porsche 928, and I've been seeing a lot of pictures of cars for sale. What I noticed is that it appears the engine block is plated with chrome. I'm not exactly sure what its plated with, but there is something there.
What does that indicate? To me it indicates lack of care, vibrating engine block, inadequate maintenance. But I'm a novice to this sort of thing. Is this a red flag to stay away from?
Thanks for you help,
Ken
The block is an aluminum/silicon alloy that is VERY shiny, even aged.
The heads, are a plain aluminum alloy, and will always look grey/aged compared to the block itself. That is normal.
There is nothing to peel from the heads or block.
The intake manifold, water bridge, and cam covers, have a coating that with age peels, and can be re coated any color.
Here is a picture of what I'm looking at. On the bottom right of the engine block something is peeling. I've see several examples of this. In this picture, its mostly intact and silver in color. On ones where whatever it is peeled off the engine block is all grey, except the lettering. What is that stuff peeling?
Ah- that's the intake manifold, it's an aluminum-magnesium alloy that gets painted silver(ish) at the factory. After decades of heat cycling the paint fails, and the underlying alloy is exposed, and oxidizes.
That is the intake manifold of an S4, not the block. They all peel with age, altho the GTS's had a different treatment. Most people refinish the manifold (and cam covers) when doing an intake refresh of all the seals, hoses, etc.
That's your dream car's intake, factory powder coating, slowly failing with time and heat cycles.
Part of the process, don't let it stop you from ownership... but read more about maintaining a 928 and make sure you are all in before purchasing.
Regards.
the peeling parts are what happens to the old intake manifold the parts get removed from the engine then can be recoated in any color you wish,
this was my choice for my 1988 S4
the color is called silver vein with red letters
To your original post- it's more important when looking for a 928 to buy that major service items have been done, and not whether someone painted or powder-coated the intake. So, ask whether the intake has been refreshed, ask to see some documentation, and read the FAQ to understand this and many other aspects of what a properly maintained 928 requires. The intake is a job that you can definitely half-***. To do it right requires a thick wallet. I have seen some advertised as having a intake refresh but the paint looks bad on the manifold. Doesn't mean it was not done properly, they just didn't go the extra mile to refinish the old coating. I personally would not be interested in a car that was advertised as such.
If you're going to do a job, do it right and make it look purty!
So, those parts are magnesium, which makes them very light and high tech. However getting paint to stick to them long term is very hard. So, some peeling paint is not, by itself, a sign of poor maintenance. I would not worry about that.
However, I would be worried about ongoing care. Since you mistake a intake manifold for a block and paint for chrome, I suspect you may not yet be ready to do all your own service on a 928. If I am correct you will have to find someone to do it for you. Unless you live near one of the handful of known gurus that will be tricky as your average foreign car wrench does not know enough about 928s to avoid very expensive mistakes. Even if he has a cool sounding German accent.
11-29-2016, 03:30 PM
Chipping Chrome on Engine block
